Improvement in horse hay-forks



T. M. EDW AB D S.

Horse Hay-Fork.

N0.165,989. Pate ntedJuly27J87-5.

WITNES S: A INVENTUB N, PETERS, PHOTO-LITHDGRAPKER. WASHING'TDN. D c

UNITED STATES PATENT ()E IoE THOMAS M. EDWARDS, OF EAST HAMPTON, NEW YORK.

IMPROVEMENT IN HORSE HAY-FORKS.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 165,989, dated July 27, 1875; application filed April 24, 1875.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, TEoMAs M. EDWARDS, of East Hampton, in the county of Suffolk and State of New York, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Horse Hay-Fork, of which the following is a specification:

Figure l is a front view of my improved fork, showing the prongs in position for supporting the fork-load. Fig. 2 is a rear view of the same, showing the prongs in position for discharging the load. Fig. 3 is a detail vertical section of the same.

The invention is an improvement in the class of horse hay-forks wherein the hinged prongs are connected with the sliding bar, to which the hoisting-rope is attached.

The improvement relates to the combination of certain locking devices with the sliding bar, as hereinafter set forth.

A represents the prongs, which are curved, as shown in Figs. 1 and 2, and are made two together, in U form, as shown in Fig.3. Upon the middle part of the bend of the prongs A is formed a shank, which passes through the lower end of a bar, B, where it is secured by a nut, a, the prongs thus standing about at right angles with the arms or bars B. The upper ends of the bars B are pivoted to lugs formed upon the lower part of the side edges of the stock 0, or to the ends of bars attached to the front and rear sides of said stock, and the ends of which project at its side edges. To the middle parts of the bars B are attached the lower ends of two ropes, D, the upper ends of which are attached to the upper end of the sliding bar E, and which are made of such a length as to be taut when the bars 0 are vertical and the bar E pushed down. The bar E fits into and slides up and down in a hole extending longitudinally through the stock (1. In the forward side of the stockO is formed a slot, in the upper end of which is pivoted the upper end of a swinging block, F, to the lower end of which is pivoted the pawl G. The lower end of the pawl G projects inward, and is beveled off, as shown in Fig. 3, so as to rest described.

against the forward side of the bar E as the said bar slides up and down. To the stock 0, at the upper end of the slot in its forward side, is attached a spring, H, which presses against a lip formed upon the upper end of the swinging block F, so as to press its lower end inc, in such a position that, when the bar E is pushed fully down, the end of the pawl G will enter it, and thus lock the bar E and stock 0 together.

When the parts are in this position the prongs A may be thrust ,into the hay and the load raised, the hoisting-rope being attached to the upper end of the bar E. When the load has been raised and carried to the desired position the trip-rope I is pulled, which brings the incline of the lower end of the pawl G into such a position as .to bear against the lower end of the slot or not-ch e in the bar E. This allows the weight of the load to force the pawl G and swinging block F outward, and the stock 0 slips down upon the bar E, throwing the weight of the hay upon the ropes D, and drawing the prongs A out of the hay, allowing it to drop. As the fork is lowered, and the lower end of the stock 0 strikes the hay,

the bar E slides down in the said stock 0, and

is locked in place by the compound pawl F G H. Having thus described my invention, I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent The combination of the swinging block F,

pawl G, and spring H with the slotted hollow stock 0, and with the slotted or notched sliding bar E, substantially as herein shown and THOMAS M. EDWARDS. Witnesses:

WILLIAM HEDGES, J AMEs M. HEDGES. 

